Metalworking site

The National Monuments Service's description

On a steep, W-facing slope, in pasture, 25m W of a townland boundary with Dollas. Not depicted on OSi historic maps. Identified as a feature (BGE 3/67/5) during topsoil-stripping on the Bord Gáis Éireann Pipeline to the West (Grogan et. al. 2007, 273-4). Excavated in 2002 by Marie Dowling and Kate Taylor under Licence No. 02E0631 and described as a group of four subcircular-shaped features consisting of two pits, a post-hole and a bowl furnace, which appeared to relate to the same phase of activity.
The features were described individually as: ‘A bowl furnace, which measured 0.4m by 0.32m and was 0.3m deep, contained three fills. The primary fill produced debris from the smelting process, including charcoal and moderate amounts of iron slag. An area of oxidised natural clay, both within and beyond the limit of the feature, indicated in situ burning.
The two pits had charcoal-rich fills, although neither showed evidence of in situ burning. The larger pit measured 0.95m by 0.85m and was 0.26m deep. Two fills were identified, the primary fill containing metal slag and a quantity of white shell fragments. The secondary fill produced metal slag and charcoal. It would not be unreasonable to assume that this pit had
been used for the waste material from the bowl furnace, given the proximity of these features and the similar deposits they contained. The smaller pit measured 0.46m by 0.26m and was 0.05m deep; it contained no slag or other artefactual material.
The nearby post-hole was also filled with a deposit containing a quantity of metal slag and frequent charcoal. The presence of the bowl furnace, showing evidence of in situ burning, together with the large quantity of metal slag recovered from the site, suggests an area used for metal production, probably ironworking. In the absence of immediately datable artefacts, it is not possible to determine the period of use for the site. It is anticipated that radiocarbon
determinations from the charcoal, along with analysis of the slag itself, will provide a date for the activity’. Monument has been fully excavated and is not visible on OSi aerial orthimage taken 2005-2012, on Digital Globe orthophoto taken 2011-2013 or on Google Earth orthoimage taken 28/06/2018.

See attached Google Earth orthoimage

Compiled by: Alison McQueen and Vera Rahilly

Date of upload: 23 October 2020

References

Dowling, M. and Taylor, K. 2004 Dollas Lower(BGE 3/67/5); Metal-production site. In I. Bennett (ed.), Excavations 2002: summary accounts of archaeological excavations in Ireland, 317, No. 1159. Bray. Wordwell.

Grogan, E., O'Donnell, L. and Johnston, P. 2007 The Bronze Age landscapes of the pipeline to the West. Bray. Wordwell.